Sony has officially unveiled a first-party gaming gear for the Xperia 1 IV smartphone during its Born To Game live stream today. Known as the Xperia Stream, the company explains that the new product functions both as an external cooling system and – as implied by its name – a streaming platform. More on the latter in a bit.
According to Sony, the Xperia Stream features a “total cooling system” that drives airflow along the body of the Xperia 1 IV, creating a continuous air stream from the back to the front. Users can also use the phone’s built-in Game Enhancer utility to control the fan’s speed. It doesn’t come with its own battery pack, so it will rely on the attached device’s power supply via USB-C. That being said, there is an external USB-C port if you wish to plug both the accessory and smartphone to a power source.
Despite its large and bulky size, the Stream does not feature any added physical buttons, which is somewhat a missed opportunity given that it is a gaming accessory. Instead, Sony has decided to include extra ports, including a HDMI that allows the Xperia 1 IV’s screen to be outputted to a compatible TV or monitor, although the video output tops out at 1080p/120Hz. There’s also an Ethernet port for wired internet access, and since the entire device blocks the phone’s 3.5mm headphone jack, it makes up for this by featuring one alongside the other aforementioned ports, all of which are located at the bottom.
It is quite clear to whom Sony is marketing the Xperia Stream to. It’s not necessarily a must-have gaming gear, but it can be useful for those who appreciate the features it offers. However, keep in mind that the accessory is tailor-made for the Xperia 1 IV, which means that it is not compatible with any other devices – even its predecessors.
Sony has yet to confirm the Xperia Stream’s pricing or availability, only saying that the product will be available soon via its official website. On that note, the company also lists the device to soon be available in a bundle together with the Xperia 1 IV smartphone.
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